Killed, skinned, thrown away

In many of the world´s poor countries donkeys are a substantial part of the livelihood for many people: They transport goods to markets, carry water to the villages and are, above all, a great help for women to master the strenuous daily tasks; Northern Tanzania being just one example, where donkeys play an important role but lately, have been under threat.

Donkey meat – a delicacy, donkey skins – an alleged miracle cure

The worldwide trade with donkey products is booming, especially the demand from China which exceeds the supply. In China, donkey meat is considered a delicacy, donkey skins are being used in cosmetic products as well as traditional medicines. This results in a black market boom with gangs of criminals steeling the animals in cloak and dagger operations in order to sell their meat or skins illegally.
The poachers invade the villages in the middle of the night and often kill the donkeys right there and then. They then skin the animals and, depending on their means of transport and preservation, also steal the meat. The carcasses are left behind in the bushes. Due to the donkeys roaming around freely – most villagers do not keep them in stables – the criminals have an easy job.
For the villagers this results in far-reaching implications because it is the working power of the animals on which the existence of entire families depends.

Donkeys must be protected

In order to put a stop to the illegal killing of donkeys as soon as possible, we, together with the Meru Animal Welfare Organization (MAWO) are in the process of building urgently needed stables for the animals in the municipalities affected the most: Mererani, Ruvu Remit, Shambarai and Naisinyai. In cooperation with the villagers, employees of our partner organisation are busy constructing fenced-in areas for 10-15 donkeys in each. In order to increase the protection, these fenced-in areas are in the centre of the respective villages and in proximity to the houses. Additional safety features are bells on the gates as well as on some of the animals. Alarmed by the noise the villagers will notice straight away should trespassers have entered the fenced-in area and also the agitation within the drove of donkeys will alarm them accordingly.

Creating awareness – The plight of the donkeys

In addition to the construction of the fenced-in areas meetings with local politicians, heads of the villages, village elders and owners of the animals have been scheduled in all four municipalities because the protection of the donkeys must be put on the agenda! The problems must be incorporated into any official planning and the livestock owners must be given the option to keep their animals safe.
The local radio station broadcasts information in Swahili (national language) and other local languages to make the core message known and to give advice on how to keep the animals safe. All in all we are looking at making more than 2 million people aware of the situation and the necessity of immediate steps for the protection of the donkeys, and provide the assistance needed to protect the donkeys and the families that rely on them.

We operate globally, provide vet treatments for the donkeys and educate the owners about the donkeys´ needs. Additionally, with the help of VETS UNITED we created a foundation for improved veterinary care. The gruesome fate which the animals are currently suffering in Tanzania requires extra emergency relief.